Dr Gloom

there's definitely a balance to be struck between racking up massive debts like the previous lot did and trying to get away without spending over 50p like ashley.

Ketsbaia, Speed, Dabizas, Solano as well. All very good signings. solano was. speed turned out to be. not sure about the other two

get the newcastle online boys to get a bring back bellas campaign going. won't even need a dossier this time as he's familiar with all the bars in town.

i think you're right but only because of his wage demands. i doubt ashley would offer him a third of what he's on at citeh. if we made him a serious offer, i think he'd come back. he probably had his best years with us and was a hero until the after-math of his bust up with souness when he fell out with shearer. That's the problem. I bet he's on about £90k a week. Even if City paid 2/3s I doubt Ashley would agree to it. We don't seem to be even sniffing around him. What's frustrating is him and a player like Ben Afra could potentially transform us from a bottom 6 to a top half side just like that. absolutely. it's crazy that ashley can't see that just relatively moderate investment could save him millions we would lose by going down again. spending around £5m could be the difference between a top half finish and a relgation battle. plus, investing some cash on the right kind of players will get supporters on his side and people through the turnstiles. i can't believe this guy is a billionaire like. he's a fucking joke.

well, we're certainly not showing much ambition at the moment, that's for sure. so far we've signed an over the hill and overweight sol campbell, a crocked youngster on a freebie and a championship full back, who by all accounts is no better than we already have. i still think we need a minimum of two new players to come in before the window closes. and two quality players, not old age rejects or youngsters no body has heard of. we need players good enough for the permier league now.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnatio...91466-27050772/ sad to think we're not even in the mix for him

you're right, but we finished in the top 5 consistently when he was with us. so who cares if he gets up peoples' noses? he's a leap above any of our other players.

i think you're right but only because of his wage demands. i doubt ashley would offer him a third of what he's on at citeh. if we made him a serious offer, i think he'd come back. he probably had his best years with us and was a hero until the after-math of his bust up with souness when he fell out with shearer.

that's a fucking tragedy that like.

agreed, you'd have to wonder if he'd be a disruptive inlfuence on the squad's team spirit. he's had more clubs than tiger woods and has been described by more than one person that's worked with sas loving a fight so much that he could easily have an argument with himself. however, for all his faults he is a class player. he would light up our team. the main reason for him not coming back would be shearer, but shearer isn't around so fuck it. he doesn't seem to pick up quite as many injuries as he used to either. he had a good run in the man city side last year. if we were to just sign him and ben arfa, suddenly our season would have an entirely different outlook. sadly, i can't see either happening.

if cappello had any balls he'd drop lampard, and rooney for that matter. show them they have to turn up for internationals in order to keep the shirt. zamora has looked quite lively since he came on to be fair.

newsflash: england - still shit

ha, i wonder if you'll be saying the same thing at 10pm on monday

nufc.com don't sound too positive

would be funny listening into his drills on offensive and de-fensive plays

I'd rather play Arfa behind Carroll in a less structured role. Let Routledge and Jonas play on the wings as they have been for us, tell Arfa there's no pressure and it's about fitness and putting in a decent performance. Rather than putting him on the wing where he'll be expected to perform in an unsual team. I know naturally he starts wide, but I'm guessing if you give the option of playing in the hole, he'll jump at it. No responsibility, greater chance of creative expression and less endeavour expected of him. Can't argue with that logic, Fish. I just fancy that role for Routledge as he comes inside a bit anyway and looks to thread players in, rather than get wide and whip crosses in, etc. We know it'll be Nolan there like so it's all moot. Aye that's fair enough and long term it might be an option. But I just look at the strikers we have, we seem to have a few "big men" but nobody but Lovenkrands with any movement. Makes me think that perhaps Ben Arfa has been signed as that kind of striker? we haven't signed him yet. will everyone please stop jinxing it

aw man, did strevie's comments jinx us? could be a reverse kevin affect

if this season pans out how most of us fear and hughton is sacked, he'd be an ideal replacement. whether he'd be daft enough to take on the poisoned chalice is another issue

he might turn out to be the next robert or ginola. equally, he could be the next luque or xisco, who knows? it's encouraging though that we're in for a player who was recently on the fringes of the french world cup and was previously sold for £10m+. don't think anyone expected us to pay the required fee or wages to be in the mix for that type of player, so that alone is encouraging.

first exciting signing (if it comes off) of the summer. sign of the times that it's a loan but at least we can still attract that class of player. we love an equally talented and frustrating french winger here at the toon. bring him on. one or two more like this and suddenly things don't look quite so gloomy

apprently this kid is a good player but he's proper light weight on the field and off the field. when he's out on the piss, he never orders more than arfa lager. i'll get me coat

i wasn't a big fan of that. thought day lewis was irritatingly hammy (as he was in gangs of new york). plus it was way too long.

Well I saw Inception last night and thought it was class. It was quite long, as modern films often are, but didn't drag. Reminded me a lot of the matrix, but way less cheesey. Here's hoping Nolan doesn't spoil it by releasing two awful sequels - the matrix would still be seen as a great film by most if the second two were never released. Inception gets an 8 out of 10 from me

if we had any ambition, we'd be bidding for carrick